AXA Tech staff in Bristol and Lytham were briefed today about the forthcoming split in the UK operation between the retained operation and that transferring to Friends Provident following the AXA Sun Life Services sale last year. Scheduled for the beginning of June 2011, AXA Tech management told staff that in all likelihood the transferring population would be subject to mass redundancies.

Under the Sale Agreement between AXA and Resolution it was agreed that AXA Tech would provide continued IT service for the transferring business for a period of time and then following an exercise to split the UK Tech operation, 163 roles (40% of the current AXA Tech population in the UK) would transfer to Friends Provident under TUPE regulations. AXA Tech staff are being asked to indicate their preference to remain with AXA or transfer this week.

Unfortunately Friends Provident have decided that they will not run the IT support themselves but are looking to transfer it to IBM who have indicated that if the work comes to them, the vast majority of the work will be offshored to India, with a few roles transferred to Dorking and Salisbury.

Effectively this means that the vast majority of the transferred employees will be made redundant.

Unite in AXA is working with AXA Tech management to try and preserve as many jobs as possible and will be looking to Friends and IBM to maximise redeployment opportunities for those in the TUPE population who in all probability will be at risk of redundancy upon transfer.